يا مفرداً في الظّرف والإِيناس
مَنْ لم يكن للعهد بالمتناسي
O you unrivaled in wit and affability,
who has never chosen to forget the pledge:
مَا اسْمٌ غدا ثُلُثَاهُ لي مَعْ ثُلْثِهِ
ولَمِ انْفَرِدْ يوماً به في النّاس
What is a name whose two thirds became mine, together with its third,
yet I never had it to myself among people?
في قلبه مَيْلٌ ولا قلبٌ له
حتّى يميلَ ولم يَمِلْ كالنّاس
In its heart is an inclination, yet it has no heart
that it might incline; nor has it inclined as people do.
ولطالما سارت به الرّكبانُ تا
عبةً فمِنْ إِبِلٍ ومَنْ أفْراسِ
And often the riders have journeyed with it,
weary, some on camels and some on horses.
فأَجِبْ إذا ما سرتَ فيه أو فَقِفْ
ما في وقوفك ساعةً من باس
So answer if you have traveled through it, or else stop;
there is no harm in your stopping for a while.
ولقد ذكرته فالسّؤالُ جوابُه
ما فيه من خلطٍ ولا إلْباسِ
Indeed, I have mentioned it: the question is its answer;
there is no confusion or ambiguity in it.
Sol 6.1